Athletics Kenya (AK) is set to pick some 31 junior athletes that will represent the country in the East Africa under-18 and under-20 championships that will be held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on March 10-11.

The trials will be held this weekend at the Nyayo Stadium alongside the second AK track and field competition.

AK director of Youth department Barnaba Korir said they have identified some probable athletes to make the cut in team Kenya including the Kenya Primary Schools Games 100m record holder Selpha Ajiambo who shone in the first leg of track and field competition held in Kisumu.

The two-day event has also been entered to the World Athletics competition ranking thus the results can be used by the global body for statistical purposes such as entry standards, world rankings, top list and records.

Athletes will compete in all events apart from the pole vault in the senior category while in under-20 the following events have been lined up; 100 (men), 200m (women), 400m (men and women), 1500m (women), shot put (women), javelin (women), discus (men) and long jump (men).

The following events will be competed in under-18 category-100m (girls), 200m (boys), 400m (girls and boys), 800m (girls and boys), 3000m (girls), 5000m (boys), javelin (girls) and long jump (girls).

Similarly, athletes will also participate in the event to attain qualification standards for the World Championships that will be held in Budapest, Hungary in August.

“As the youth department we want to select a very strong team that will rule the region. We have seen some of these athletes compete in the previous meeting and they look very promising.

Aside from the trials the usual program for track and field will continue as you know the track season is now taking shape as athletes prepare for the World Championships. It is a very important event since some athletes may even attain the qualification standards for the global event,” said Korir.

Korir who doubles as the chair of AK Nairobi region also explained that the event will also give athletes who register exceptional results and are not in the AIU/ ADAK testing pools to be identified and tested according to AIU rules targeting countries in category A ahead of major events.

Africa 100m record holder Ferdinand Omanyala who recently broke the 60m indoor national record in Lievein, France is set to compete in 100m for the first time this season.